FRIEND OR FOE, THE HAWK AND THE CROW....

[Duppydo]

Just wondering what kind of experience others out there in chicken land have had with hawks and crows...
Some of you know from my past postings, i consider the crow an ally in my attempt to protect my hens from hawks, in my case red tail hawks mostly. One poster hear, i forget his/her name from Oregon, says they have observed/worked with crows to protect their chickens..By working with crows i mean encouraging them to stay around your property, by feeding them some food scraps and not shooting at them.The crows around my place love the treats i give them, and are on a hawks tail feathers ,that shows up around here in most cases in quick time.
One woman here commented that she hated crows ever since one flew off with a chick from her yard..okay, crows have their ways, and will rob nest, steal eggs and chicks if they can. Still, myself i think they are more good than bad, when it comes to warning chickens of the hawks presents and chasing the hawks off...
What are your thoughts, experiences with this topic...?

 

[birdlover]

I would like to know what kind of treats you give them to hang around. I also want the crows to chase off the hawks but they don't stay around my place 24/7 so I can't depend on them for protection, if you get my drift. Years and years ago, I lost some baby chicks (don't ask) and the crows came to eat them after the fact. I haven't heard anything about crows taking live baby chicks. Well, that's my two cents worth.

 

[gritsar]

The crows are more than welcome at my house. My chickens know how to speak crow.
If the crows are just messing around and making their usual noises the chickens pay them no mind. If the crows make a certain noise all the chickens head for cover. Every time I've observed this I've looked around and sure enough one of our resident golden eagles is about.
I don't have to encourage the crows to hang around. We have plenty of nut trees and they help themselves.

 

[adoptedbyachicken]

If your going to encourage crows I suggest that your chicks and eggs be in where the crows will not get them. In my old place the hen house had a slide door into the coop, but the pen had a small gate too, and the pen was covered. So while the adult chickens did free range the crows would never go in the small gate into a covered pen then into the coop to take eggs, they are too cagey for that. The chicks never got to free range till they were about the same size as adults. Often too I kept the hens in the pen till ten am so that the eggs were in the nests, then the gate was opened, but the crow was out of luck on eggs as I collected at the same time.

 

[Renee]

Gritsar,
You have GOLDEN EAGLES????
I'm so jealous!

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
Yep. I was surprised because I didn't think they came this far east, but apparently the eagles don't read the range maps.

 

[animals1981]

crows and ravens attack hawks and eagles and drive them off more crows around the less birds of prey

 

[silkiechicken]

I find most hawks just sit happily with the flock of crows just dive bombing and go on their way. Don't think they drive them off per se, but their ruckus does alert the chickens to the hawk being around.

That said, I prefer hawks, crows, and all other migratory or otherwise wild birds stay clear of my flock. All bird can be vectors for diseases and bird specific parasites and pass them back and fourth so I don't encourage them to show up and stay, but just pass by on will.

I've had a hawk kill large crested banties because they couldn't see to run away, but also had a professor who lives in Seattle almost have his chicks all pulled though a wire rabbit cage on the porch by a group of crows.

They all come with their risks, so everyone just gotta decide what is right for their situation and what works with the behavior of the animals in your area. ie. crows here will fight you for your hot dog at the park, but in other areas will steer clear of any humans.

 

[halo]

I have crows around here. I dont even notice them until I hear them raising hell....I then see them tormenting either a red tail hawk (I have some BIIIGGGGG ones) or a bald eagle in one of the big live oaks that surround my property. I love watching nature at work around here.